Bitcoin in Italy is stigmatized, heavily taxed and starting 2027, anon wallets are to be either I'D or banned.
Plus it's not that common yet, there is still heavy attachment to physical cash in the south and contactless credit cards in the north.
Discussion
Thanks for the insight, really helpful, even if it’s a bit grim!
It’s disheartening to hear that Bitcoin is still so heavily stigmatised in Italy and that things might tighten even further by 2027 with ID requirements or outright bans on anon wallets. That direction feels less about “protecting users” and more like the classic overreach we’re seeing across the EU as CBDCs loom larger.
Also really interesting what you said about the regional divide, cash in the south, cards in the north. It says a lot about how fragmented Italy still is financially and culturally. I had hoped Bitcoin could bridge some of that, but it sounds like we’re still early.
Appreciate the honest overview. It’s making me rethink how and where to build something sovereign in Europe, or whether to double down on staying agile for the long game.
Spoiler: you cannot. Europe is a communist inferno. The only way to live is being self sufficient, but it's hard and costly to start up. It's also possible, but you'll need a bunch of money.